Mirror assembly including foam encompassed within a polymer matrix
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsYves Martin, Robert L. Sandstrom, Theodore G. van Kessel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mirror includes a first layer including reflective material to reflect incident light, an adhesive backing disposed at a rear of the first layer, a second layer connected to the adhesive backing and including one or more layers of a cloth or a non woven fiber matrix and polymer composite to encompass the cloth other non woven fiber matrix and a third layer disposed at a rear of the second layer and including polystyrene foam spheres encompassed within a polymer matrix.
Claims18
A mirror, comprising:
- a first layer including reflective material to reflect incident light,
- an adhesive backing disposed at a rear of the first layer;
- a second layer connected to the adhesive backing and including one or more layers of a cloth or a non woven fiber matrix and polymer composite to encompass the cloth or the non woven fiber matrix;
- and
- a third layer disposed at a rear of the second layer and including polystyrene foam spheres encompassed within a polymer matrix, the third layer including:
- a forward layer with small polystyrene foam spheres, which is precisely molded to a shape of the rear of the second layer;
- a rear layer with large polystyrene foam spheres;
- and
- an intermediate layer with medium sized polystyrene foam spheres to form a transitional layer from the forward layer to the rear layer.
A mirror, comprising:
- an intermediate layer of polymer impregnated cloth or a non woven fiber matrix having a parabolic cross-sectional shape and opposing concave and convex sides;
- an adhesive backed reflective layer disposed on the concave side of the intermediate layer;
- and
- a backing layer including polymer impregnated polystyrene foam spheres disposed on the convex side of the intermediate layer, the backing layer having a concave side in contact with the convex side of the intermediate layer and a back side opposing the concave side, the backing layer including:
- a forward layer with small polystyrene foam spheres, which is precisely molded to a shape of the convex side of the intermediate layer;
- a rear layer with large polystyrene foam spheres;
- and
- an intermediate layer with medium sized polystyrene foam spheres to form a transitional layer from the forward layer to the rear layer.
A method of assembling a mirror, the method comprising:
- providing a mold with a parabolic shape;
- disposing polymer impregnated cloth on the mold with the polymer in a liquid state;
- solidifying the impregnating polymer to form an intermediate layer having a parabolic cross-sectional shape and opposing concave and convex sides;
- applying polymer coated polystyrene foam spheres to the convex side of the intermediate layer with the polymer in a liquid state;
- and
- solidifying the coating polymer to form a backing layer including polystyrene foam spheres in a polymer matrix,
- wherein the applying comprises forming a backing layer with:
- a forward layer of small polystyrene foam spheres, which is precisely molded to a shape of the convex side of the intermediate layer;
- a rear layer with large polystyrene foam spheres;
- and
- an intermediate layer with medium sized polystyrene foam spheres to form a transitional layer from the forward layer to the rear layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.